TV debate between Truss and Sunak cancelled after presenter faints

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The televised Conservative leadership debate between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss has been cancelled after the host, Kate McCann, fainted.

TalkTV, who was co-hosting Tuesday evening’s programme with the Sun, said that its political editor is fine and the medical advice was for the debate to stop. The television channel tweeted: “Kate McCann fainted on air tonight and although she is fine, the medical advice was that we shouldn’t continue with the debate.

“We apologise to our viewers and listeners.”

As Sunak and Truss were debating taxes, NHS funding and the economy in their second head-to-head televised debate in 24 hours, a loud crash interrupted the two rivals.

The foreign secretary looked visibly worried and could be heard saying “oh my god”, as she walked off the stage.

The programme immediately went off-air, with a message appearing on the screen, saying: “We are sorry for the disruption to this programme. We are working hard to fix the issue and will return to normal programming soon.”

McCann was scheduled to appear alongside the Sun’s political editor Harry Cole, but he wrote on Twitter that he had tested positive for Covid-19 earlier on Tuesday.

The Welsh secretary, Sir Robert Buckland, tweeted that he hoped the political journalist was OK. Amanda Milling, a Foreign Office minister, said: “She was doing a brilliant job. Get well soon!”

The two candidates vying to be Boris Johnson’s replacement had their first head-to-head TV debate on Monday night, broadcast by the BBC at Stoke-on-Trent’s Victoria Hall.

The former chancellor told the foreign secretary her tax cut plan would “tip millions of people into misery” and cost the Conservatives the next election.

Truss said tax rises brought in by him would lead to a recession.

It led to complaints afterwards by Truss’s supporters that the ex-chancellor was being too aggressive and was “mansplaining”, which was denied by the Sunak camp.